Flushing apparatus.



PATENTED SEPT. 17, 1907.

P. W. LANDELL & J. B. WILLIAMS.

PLUS-HING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 23. 1906.

No. 866,368. PKTENTED SEPT 17, 1907. P. W. LANDELL & J. B. WILLIAMS.

'FLUSHING APPARATUS.

uruouxon FILED 23.23, 1906.

3 8HBETS-SHEBT 3.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PETER ,W. LANDELL AND JOHN B. WILLIAMS OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNORS FLUSHING APPARATUS. v

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 17, 1907..

Application filed February 23,1906. Serial No. soatzt.

To all whom. it may concern:

Be it known that we, PETER W. LANlJELL and JOHN B. WILLIAMS, citizens of the United States, residing in the city and county of San Francisco and State of Caliiornia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Flushing Apparatus, of which the following is a specification. V

Our invention relates to flushing apparatus for use in connection with toilets and the like. Its object is to provide a combined flush valve, tank and bowl as a unitary sdructure, or a combined flush-valve and tank applicable for use with bowls already installed; and which apparatus shall be simple, compact, easy of operation and capable of economically and etficiently performing its required functions. I

The invention consists of the parts and the construction and the combination of parts as hereinafter morefully described and claimed, having reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a vertical section on line XX, Fig. 2, representing an apparatus of unitary structure embodying our invention. Fig. 2 is a section at right angles to the section of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an elevation in partial section of a modified form of our apparatus showing a combined flush valve and tank applied to an ordinary bowl. Fig. 4 he plan view of same with tank in partial section. Figs. 1 & 2 show the combination of a flush valve and bowl with a tank for storing water till needed. The bowl A itself is similar to any other, and operates in a similar way, but we claim the distinction that, on adding an outer shell 2 around the bowl and passage leading from it to the sewer, a chamber 3 is formed un dcr and around the bowl and said'passage, with a capacity approximately of 1,226.8 cu. in., more or less, or holding about 5-1/3 gallons ofwater, which isthe capacity of the ordinary fiush-tanks-now in use. This chamber 3 is so designed that it is air tight at the top and has no communication with the outside, or with the bowl, except at the bottom, so-that on allowing it to fill with water through 4, the volume of air contained in the chamber will be compressed and will act as a cushion to drive the water out when needed. A pipe connects inlet 4 with the main; and this pipe may be provided witha valve not shown. The connection between the main and the chamber is always left open with the apparatus in use so that the water will continue to flow into the chamber until the pressure in the chamber equals the pressure in the main. I

Thefiush valve, as shown in the accompanying drawings, is a device withthe Bid 05 which the water is drawn out of the chamber in quantities large enough to opt-rate the toilet; the flush-valve being automatic and adjustable to allow any desired quantity, within certain limits, to How.

5 represents a cylindrical valve casing formed integral with the bowl and tank 2. The bottom of the valve Y casing has an extension 6 of considerable inside diameter which opens into the lower part of the chamber 3. The lower end of the casing 5 is adapted to receive a brass bushing] which forms a seat for the valve Son piston 8, which latter operates in a brass cylinder 9. The cylinder 9 is suitably supported in the casing 5 with respect to the valve seat and in such fashion as to leave an annular passageway 10 between the cylinder and easing 5 and to provide a suitable water connection 11 between passageway 10 and chamber 3 through'condui,t 6 when valve Sis opened. A head or brass plug 12 screws into the upper-end of cylinder 9 and is centrally cored to receive the stem 13 which carries the normally-spring-closed valve 14. This plug or head is provided with radial passages 15 of suitable size (3031-, municating through ports 16 in cylinder 9 with passage 10. The plug has a ground flange 12 to seat snug on the beveled end oi'c'asing 5. p A

The outer end of stem 13 carries a push-button 17 which operates in a guide cap or guard 18, which latter is held in position by an internal flange engageable by a partial turn under the nut projection 19 on plug 12.

20 is abushing screwed into casing 5, and into which bushing the cylinder 9 in turn is screwed and fixed; the parts being arranged to form a tight joint.

21 is an annular passage formed between the flange 12 and bushing 20 and communicating with the inlet 4 exterior to chamber 3 through the port 22 which is cast or cored in the shell '2. Passage 2]. communicates with the valve chamber 23 in cylinder 9 through a port 24 in plug 12. A needle-valve 25 housed in guard l8 isadjustable to regulate the flow of water from the main through port 22, passage 21 and port 24 into chamber 23.. Thus the actual main pressure is always maintained in ports 222124.

The passage 10 around cylinder 9 discharges through the enlarged port 26 into the annular flushing pe 27, which latter has the usual openings 28-29 into the bowl.

With the parts assembled and suitable connections made with the main, the operation is as follows: Normally valve 8 is closed to interrupt the flow of water from the tank to the bowl. Since the chamber 23 above the piston 8 remains always in communication with the main (through ports 2421--22) the pressure on the top-side otthe piston equals the pressure in the tank and valve 8 remains closed. When it is desired to flush the bowl, it is only necessary to push in on the button 17, which action opens valve 14 and relieves the pressure in the top of the valve piston by allowing the water in chamber 23 to empty into port 10; inlet 24 being comparatively much smaller than the outletthrough valve 14 so that the piston 8 is thrown instantly into an unbalanced state. The opening of valve 8 due to this or by means of the spring 30,-or .by the joint action of both agencies. The water vents 6.-1110-26-&'c. are of suflicient area that the emptyingoi the tank un-- der the combined action oi the water pressure and air pressure is verysudden. This condition-insures the prompt working of-the toilet,.iorthe; sudden rush of a small quantity of water, is more effective in flushing;

than a large quantity of water run mat a slower rate.

As soon as valve 14 closes, the chamber 23 begins tofill through ports 2221- 2 4; and the time that it takes to fill regulates the length of the flushing period. By throttling valve 25, moreor less,.this period maybe prolonged or shortened as the needs of a particular case require. Since the port 24 and its connections carry the full pressure of the main, and since the area of the topoi the piston 8 exceeds the area of the bottom of valve 8, the latter is sure to close and remain'closed until the push-button is again operated. I

It will be noticed that the inlet 4 is reduced, being in practice not to exceed 3/8 in diameter, so that the water cannot flow into the tank as fast as it is forced out; consequently the water is gradually stored in the tank and against the air pressure after the'operation of the valve 8 has ceased.

- One advantage of this construction is that it makes it possible to connect the toilet directly to the source of water-supply through a half-inch pipe connection; for in nearly all cases a half-inch pipe is all that can be had for the toilet and this will not give a sufiicient quantity of water in a given time to operate the toilet. With our combination there is no special tank necessary either in the toilet or in other parts of the building as is now generally used. thus saving extra piping of large diameters, as well as the special apparatus.

With our flush-valve applied in the manner described, a saving of water is obtained which can be obtained in no other way; for since the flushing is prompt from the beginning, the water being forced out suddenly in a comparatively large volume which has the most certain effectthe quantity needed will be the smallest possible.

The toilet is neat in appearance, prompt and reliable in its actions, and takes no more space than the stool alone. The materials and finish of the several parts of the apparatus are such as experience and the judgment of the manufacturer may dictate.

In cold climatesdt may be desirable to empty the contents of the tank to prevent accident by freezing. For this purpose a port 31, Fig. 2, connects the tank with the outlet 32 to the sewer; this port is normally closed by a valve 33. When it is desired to drain the tank, the valve 4 is closed and valve 33 opened. Also the piston 8 and valve 8 may have a 1/16 inch hole 34 drilled through its center and extending throughout its entire length to make a passage for the water remaining valve 25 is placed however where it is easily accessible,

so that by removirzg the top cover 18, which is easily done by hand, opening theadjusting valve one 01'. two turns and operating the valve one 'or'two' times would wash away any dirt collected at this point. Onturning the adjusting valve back to its former position, the cleansing operation is completed and the valve will operate as before. This condition is best appreciated by those having had experience other valves ofa similar'type, having passages less than 1/32 in diame-. ter and situated inside the valve,- so that the whole apparatus has to be taken apart and finewires run into the passages to clean them; putting them together in posi- 7 tion again and re-adjnsting them, which operations take time and often entail an expense in excess of. the original cost of a complete apparatus.

In Figs. 3 & 4 is shown a modification of the apparatus applicable for use with bowls of toilets already installed. In this case the tank 2. is a separate structure adapted to be secured in suitable position with respect to the bowl A. The valve casing 5 is integral with the tank and has a depending intake 6 opening into the bottom of the chamber 3; The piston, the piston cylinder, push-button and all parts are exactly like those described in connection with Fig. 1.-

Inlet to the tank from the main is througha pipe 4 and small port 4; this same source of water-supply under pressure is in communication with the chamber 23 through port 22 and its connectionssimilar to these described in the first instance Having thus described our invention what we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A flush valve comprising an outer cylinder, an inner cylinder open at the lower end and supported concentrlcally within the outer cylinder, said cylinders lncloslng between them an annular discharge space, said space connectlng around the lower open end of :the inside cylinder wlth an inlet, a plston operatlng ln-the inside cylinder, a valve carried by the piston and arranged to close on a seat in said inlet, a plug screwing into the inside cylinder and having a laterally extendlngannular flange seatlng on the outside cyllnder, sald'plug havlng a discharge port opening into the space behind said piston, a push valve normally closing sald port, sald,plug also having a bypass adaptcd to be connected with a source of fluld supply under pressure. said by-pass openlng into the space behind sald piston, and a regulating valve in said by ass.

2. In a flushing apparatus, the combination with a bowl, of a storage tank lncloslng an alr pressure chamber, said tank having an inlet connected with a source of fiuld supply under pressure, a valve casing arranged lnslde of the tank and having an cnlarged-throahportlon openlng downwardly into the tank near the bottom of the latter, sald throat-portlon having a valve-seat, said valve-casing havlng an inside cylinder in axial line with suld valve-scat, said casing and cylinder lncloslng between them an unnular passage way communicating around the lower open end or sald lnslde cylinder and through sald valvc-scat and throat with the interior of the tank, a piston In said lnslde cylinder, avalvc carried by the piston and closublc on said valve-seat, a by-pass connected with a source of fluid-supply under pressure and the space bchlnd the piston, said space behind the piston having an outlet, a valve in said outlet, and a push-button to open sald valve.

3. In a flushing apparatus, a combined bowl, storage.

tank and flush valve casing; said storage tank, bowland valve casing being formed integral, and said storage tank inclosing an air pressure chamber, said valve casing havlug a downwardly extending throat-portion opening into the lower part of the storage tank, a piston valve in the casing controlling the discharge from the tank, a pushbutton and suitable fluid connections for controlling the movements of the piston, said casing having a discharge connected with the bowl, said storage tank connected with a source of fluid supply under pressure.

4. In a flushing pparatus, a. combined bowl, storagetank and flush valve casing, said storage tank, bowl and valve casing being formed integral, and said storage tank inelosing an air pressure chamber, said valve casing having a downwardLv extending throat-portion opening into the lower part of the storage tank, a piston valve in the casing controlling the discharge from the tank, a push button and'suitahle fluidvconnections for controlling the movements of the piston, said casing having a discharge 20 In testimony whereof we have lmreuuto set our hand in 25 presence of two subscribing witnesses.

PETER W. LANDELL. JOHN H. WILLIAMS.

Witnesses .luuns Commxx, EDWARD BLOMQUIS'I. 

